Harry, Harry, Hermione
by BDWood
Summary: Harry Dresden interferes with Dumbledore's plans to control Harry Potter and his soul mate Hermione Granger
1. Chapter 1

The beginning of this crossover doesn't belong to me, it belongs to Dark Dragen, and is from his HP fanfic "HP and the Slaves "Betrayal". The characters from the Dresden Files, and Harry Potter do not belong to me they belong to Jim Butcher and J.K Rowling respectively.

"Oh Harry, I would love to be your girlfriend!" I heard as I was walking past the English school yard. Hearing my name I spun towards the voice and saw two elementary school students sitting on the playground. I smiled; at least someone was having a good day. As I continued to walk down the street hands buried in my pockets I turned and saw the two children walking down an alley. As I looked on a man stepped out in front of them, he was very old by the looks of things as he had a long white beard. He was wearing long robes, a purple cloak, and high heeled, buckled boots.

"Hello Harry, Miss Granger nice to meet you."

""Sir," The other Harry said wearily, ready to run with his friend if they had to. "I don't know who you are or how you know our names, but could you excuse us, as Hermione meant to be home soon." I began to feel wary of the old man.

"I'm sorry my boy, my name is Albus Dumbledore, although it won't matter to you shortly," said 'Albus,' "But I'm sorry to say young man, I can't let you go just yet. You see that it has came to my attention that young Miss Granger here has got her parents to call the Social Workers on the Dursleys, I'm sorry to say that I can't have that. Just like I can't have you and Miss. Granger seeing each other."

At that I walked forward. "And what, may I ask, allows you any say in the matter old man?" I asked harshly as I stepped in between him and the children.

"This is none of your concern American!" The old man, 'Albus' replied.

I watched his fingers twitch, normally a sign of imminent movement, so I pushed the children out of the way and jumped aside.

"**Petrificus Totalus!" **A stream of energy rushed past me and somehow still struck the kids. They froze and fell over. I pushed myself up and darted forward throwing my fist out at the man. It connected hard with his jaw and knocked him over. He reached for a stick, that I can bet was a wand, and began to stand again; he was calm and collected even though a nasty bruise was forming on his jaw.

"American, you need to leave or you will regret it." I was amazed; I had never met a wand toting English wizard before. I had heard the rumors that they were ten times as powerful as an American wizard but I hadn't been able to confirm it with my own eyes until now.

Then I saw his wand…I was still within arms reach so I wrenched his wand from his hand. His eyes seared with hatred as I snapped it in two. Yelling two words I'd never heard before a green jet of light streaked out of his hand and towards me. I dove away and watched the ground puff as it absorbed the magic.

This time he looked a little fatigued. That was when I realized that he was only as powerful as his wand. **"Fuego!" **A jet of flame shot towards the old man who was now no where to be seen. I turned to the children and saw that the boy, Harry was standing up, however the girl whose name I remembered as Hermione was still lying still.

I picked her up and felt the magic around her, she would be a powerful sorceress one day, but right now she had magic binding her arms and legs together. I broke the hold and put her down.

"Alright children," I said with a smile, "You are going to need to come with me, for your protection."

Little Harry looked into my eyes, and I thought the soul gaze would begin. It didn't, so I looked into Hermione's eyes, and was instantly pulled into a soul gaze.

Now a soul gaze is something that only happens to modern wizards, not the ones who still use the old ways, things like wands with focus crystals and power cores. It lets you see a person's true self. A lot of times they don't even know themselves as well as the people they've soul gazed.

Anyway, I saw the little girl standing with her back to me looking down at something, something that was moving, writhing. I was spooked to say the least until she turned to me and I saw what she was looking at. Herself. I grimaced when I saw that the one on the ground was shaking and crying. I'd only seen someone like this once, it had been a girl I'd met a year ago, and her parents had abused her in all ways possible.

The soul gaze ended and I found tears in my eyes. Hermione collapsed and little Harry caught her. "Harry, that man is our friend," was the last words out of her mouth before she fainted.

"Okay… sir? Can you help me?" I walked forward and picked up the fragile little form.

"Follow me Harry," I said. I walked to the rental car that was parked down the street after I put the remains of the broken wand into my duster pocket. I got them into the car and strapped them in. I turned the keys in the ignition and the car started, good luck, but I wasn't thinking about that, I was thinking about these two young magic users that I had stumbled across on my way home from the trial for the death of my uncle, Justin Morningway…


	2. Chapter 2

A/N Alright everyone, im back after too much relationship trouble it might show in my writing so if u don't like the chapter too bad.

What the hell? I thought trying to contain my anger. They let English wizards run about and modify the brains and memories of children? At this particular moment my mind was thinking of hundreds of ways to kill the old man who had just escaped my wrath.

"Mr. Dresden?" The child's voice brought me back into my own harsh reality.

"What is it Harry?" I asked the small boy with the lightning scar.

"What is bothering you?" I was startled at the boy's easy observation.

"Nothing that you need to worry about right now." I replied. Thinking of all the mundane laws I had just broken. I had kidnapped two children, assaulted an old man, was going 20 miles over the speed limit, and to top it all off I'd just run a red light. I needed to get these kids back home and it needed to happen before the authorities were breathing down my neck.

"How is your friend?" I asked concerned for the little girl's psyche, she had just seen me more intimately than everybody currently walking the Earth, well except for Morgan, the warden assigned to watch over me. Essentially he was just my probation officer, but the Doom of Damocles was a little more lethal than normal probation, one toe outta line and it was my head, literally.

"She's alive; I don't understand sir, why did she pass out?" Little Harry was a very curious boy that was good for what I needed to do with him.

"She and I had a soul gaze," I explained, "When she looked into my eyes she saw my true self, the being I am beneath the mortal mask. Normally it show that to anyone who looks directly into the eyes of a wizard,"

"Then why didn't it show me?" Harry asked me, "I mean it showed Hermione,"

"That's why I said normally, I don't know why we didn't soul gaze but something about you is different, different from me, and Hermione. I need to do some research…"

My mind began to wander; the memories of my recent past began to rise up, memories of my uncle, Elaine, and He-Who-Walks-Behind. I shivered and thought immediately of something else. How was I going to take care of these kids? I didn't have the first idea on how to be a parent, let alone the financial stability. I was going to need some help.

An idea came to me as I passed the nearby pub. I parked and opened the door for the children. I leaned into the car and tried to wake Hermione, finally she began to open her eyes and I told her that we had arrived.

"Where are we?" She asked looking over our surroundings.

"At a pub near the airport, I have a friend inside who will be able to help us."

"Alright…" She said, she tried to get out but stood on wobbly legs. Little Harry rushed to support her. Smiling I told them that they should get whatever they needed from my rental car before we left. They did so only grabbing their school books and their coats.

I walked to the entrance, opened the door and heard the bustle of people and the quiet music beyond. The crowds comforting me I walked over to the bartender, whose name always seemed to escape me.

Looking up and recognizing me he pointed me in her direction. I smiled and thanked him with a silent quick nod. As we were walking towards the woman across the room I heard a deep rumbling voice, "Hermione! What are you doing here! This is an adult place when we get home you are in deep trouble!"

Hermione's hand squeezed mine tightly and her face blanched. Turning I looked up, which is quite scary considering that I'm around 6' 5", and into the face of a hulking man with bloodshot eyes and a very concerning stagger. I pushed Hermione behind me and stepped up to face the behemoth of a man.

"What do you want pipsqueak?" The man asked his words slurred, he was drunker then a rat in a wine barrel.

"I believe you were just about to leave, however if you would like to try and get to Hermione, I'd be happy to defend her from your drunken rage." I replied as menacingly as I could.

The man laughed and stumbled forward a step. "You will not keep me from my daughter, and you will only make the beating worse if you continue to delay me." The last part he whispered into my ear. But that was his mistake, he was close enough to whisper in my ear and I was mad enough to tear his off.

I brought my knee up into his crotch and as he doubled over I stomped on his kneecap. I smiled when he stopped squirming, only to realize he was getting up. His leg was bent at an angle that was so grotesquely horrifying to witness, however he still managed to stand a throw a punch at my gut. I spun to the side and felt the blow clip my side. Damn that hurt! And it wasn't even a solid hit! I needed to end this fast.

So as I spun I kicked out and landed a solid hit on his solar plexus. He crumpled and I picked up Hermione and ran towards the only person not about to call the cops, Charlene, the friend I had, my only contact to the wizarding world outside of the states. Well sort of, I'd met her at McAnally's pub in Chicago just before my deranged uncle had tried to kill me and landed my ass right into the White Council's Doom of Damocles bull shit.

She had explained then that she and her parents were moving to England to be closer to the rest of their family. Of course she told me where she'd be and if I needed help just to contact her via the NeverNever. I ran to her and pulled her and little Harry into a room so that we could have some privacy. We didn't have long though, because soon this pub was going to become a very public and police inhabited environment.


	3. Chapter 3

A/N: Ive gotten reviews about chapter 1 and how hermiones parents shouldn't care about Harry's abuse since they're abusing her. However, I would like to point out I never went into detail about it and that I was going to even it out later in the story. But just so I can clear this issue up think of all the abusive relationships out there. What do they all have in common? Someone who knows about it but doesn't tell, someone who can't get out of the relationship due to 'love'. That being said I would also like to point out to those of you who can't wait for the story to go on. Alright so I deleted that update so I could put it into this chapter, sorry for the long wait things in life haven't been going smoothly, sickness, and relationships, school those sort of things. Now I'm back to write because I finally got a new computer. Lets hope I can update faster now. This update is kind of short. But expect a few more soon.

"Charlene! I need your help, and fast!"

"Alright Harry, just calm down and tell me what happened."

"I can't calm down right now are you kidding me! I just assaulted one of the wand wielders, and her," I nodded to Hermione, "father. And to top that all off I think if I'm caught I'll also be charged with kidnapping, and probably resisting arrest." I couldn't stop pacing.

"Alright Harry- wait resisting arrest? Why?"

"Because I can't let these kids go back to their abusive families!" My mood was getting worse by the second.

"Harry! I can help you! Just calm down and come with me," She was calm and her eyes gleamed with what I can only describe as determination. "I don't like abusers," She said, and I believed her, because she was the other abusively scarred person I knew. She walked, grinning and with purpose out of the storage closet we were in and led me to one of the flats above the bar.

"Come on Charlie! Where are we going!" She giggled and that frustrated me more, "Dammit! Where are we going!" The question only made her giggle some more. _Sonovabitch! _I thought almost losing my temper. Then we stopped in the closet of the dingiest flat I had ever been in.

"Patefacio Sursum," she spoke the words and I understood what she had said, Latin for 'Open up'. Then I saw the wall shimmer and fade into a portal to the Nevernever.

"Alright I guess you convinced me!" she said with a sweet smile.

"What do you mean?"

"I'm going back to the states with you!" She smiled, "and before you say anything let me remind you that you are going to need my help with them," She gestured to the children, "and I don't think that you can afford to keep them by yourself. So I'm coming with you!"

I was about to interject but then I realized, _She's right! I can't afford kids! And even if I could I don't know the first thing about raising a child! _"Fine! Let's go then, before anyone sees us!"

She let out a squeal of delight and walked into the portal. "Son of a bitch," I said, "my life just got a whole lot more interesting, wand wielders, assault, and a roommate, what the hell did I get myself into?" Then I stepped into the portal with a sigh.


	4. Chapter 4

A/N: Here is Chapter 4, there have been a lot of reviews asking about Hermione's parents, I've tried to answer them without ruining parts of the story but still I keep getting them, so I will say this wait for a while, the later parts will help to clarify.

My mind raced as I walked through the portal. _Charlene… _I thought, _if you only knew…_ I'd known Charlene since my the first day of high school, longer even then Elaine, we had dated before Elaine came along, then I'd abandoned her. _I wish I hadn't. _

"Harry! Pay attention!" Charlene must've caught me day dreaming, "Stay close! You have got to follow me I know this area better than anyone else!" I smiled, and believed her. Oddly enough she was more like the wand wielding wizards of the west than the modern, 'I use a staff and my own life force' wizards like me. I never understood how my uncle hadn't known she was a witch, I hadn't even known till she told me.

"Alright lets hurry, I have s enemies here, hopefully she won't be able to find me before we can make it to Chicago."

"Who? Hopefully who won't find you?"

"Leanansidhe, my fairy godmother…" My reply made her laugh.

"Fairy Godmother? You're kidding right?" When I didn't reply her face blanched, "Right? Harry! Dammit! You're going to get me killed!"

"Just keep going Charlie, I'm sure she won't find us." As the words left my mouth I could hear the howling of hounds, looking towards the children I felt my stomach drop, "run… RUN!" Charlene picked up Hermione and I grabbed little Harry and we sprinted away, Charlene leading us to a dead end. "DAMMIT CHARLIE! I THOUGHT YOU KNEW YOUR WAY AROUND THIS PLACE!"

"Shut up Harry! **Patefacio Sursum!**" Another portal opened, she ran through it and I followed.

The portal shut behind us and my breath escaped in a relieved sigh, "That was close…"

I turned to look at Charlie, and her fist slammed into my nose. "You stupid bastard!" Her voice never rose above a whisper, but I knew I was in for it, she only did that when she was extremely mad. "You could've killed them!" She pointed at the children, "You could've killed me!" She flung her hands about in her rage, "and after everything… you still haven't given me a damn kiss!"

"I'm so- wait what?" She smiled and jumped into me lips crushing against mine. At first I was surprised, then I was intrigued, then my brain just shut down and I deepened the kiss. After what felt like an hour we broke apart, Charlene's eyes dark with lust, I imagined my own looked the same, I turned to the kids, Harry was looking at the ceiling awkwardly and Hermione was giggling and pointing, while tugging on his sleeve.

"Hermione stop, adults kissing is so weird!" Harry complained.

"Harry! Look! It's so romantic!" Hermione's voice trailed off when she realized I was looking at her. She blushed and looked away shyly.

Looking around I asked "Where are we?"

"It's a basement under and apartment building in Chicago," I continued my searching of the room, and saw a trap door, curiosity ran through my mind. I walked toward the door and opened it, I saw two glowing orange orbs of light that emanated from the eye sockets of what appeared to be a human skull.

"Who art thou!" the skull's jaw moved as though it was the one talking.

"My name is Harry Dresden!" I could've sworn I'd seen the skull before.

"Oh, Hi Harry." Then I remembered that the skull had taught me most of what I knew about magic, then I had gone to Ebenezer McCoy, who had taught me why to use magic. Then I had to go back for the second 'hearing' on my uncle's death, so that they could either release me from the Doom or keep it over my head. They had decided to keep it as I assumed they would. 'Too dangerous', 'pawn of Morningway' there had been a lot of reasons, none I liked but that didn't matter, I was the one on trial.

"How the hell did you get here Bob?" I asked him, wary of the force that had teleported him. Bob told me of a spell gone awry during my fight with my uncle, and how the spell had teleported him along with my uncle's grimoir, half of the alchemical ingredients, and the whole of his library to where they now sat. Disbelieving I used my mothers pentacle amulet that had been hanging around my neck since my father had given it to me so long ago to make a light, and sure enough there was enough alchemy supplies and knowledge to last for a long while.

I smiled, "I found our new home…"


	5. Chapter 5

A/N: Alright guys, I been gone for a long while now, writing my own ideas and what not, but I just revisited my Fanfic, and remembered what I was going to do with it. So here's the Fifth Chapter of Harry, Harry, Hermione.

"Harry! Dammit! That's the fifth time you've botched that spell in the past hour! What is wrong with you!" Bob was screaming at me.

"Bob, get my back before I burn your romance novels!" I said knowing that would shut him up. "What am I doing wrong?" I asked myself under my breath. I was doing research on wand magic, and every time I tried to use it I would almost kill myself. After passing out Bob would sever the magical connection and my power would flow right back to my body; that was the fifth time I'd done it.

"What you're doing wrong is trying! The modern wizard isn't meant to use the power of the olden times. Hell I never used it and I was born centuries ago!" Bob's constant rambling about my research was already beginning to piss me off.

"DAMMIT BOB!" I raged, "There has to be a way! My power may not be based in this kind of magic but there has to be a relation somewhere!"

"Harry," his voice was soft now, "Don't do this to yourself, trust me, I was consumed by it." The lights in his eye sockets flickered as though he was remembering something. "Please at least take a break," His voice again was soft, and then he added, "And get me some new romance novels!"

I chuckled, "Alright Bob, but you have to help me with this, whether you like it or not." My mind was racing at the possibilities of magic without limits.

"Fine Harry, but do you know why wand wizards hide themselves?"

"No, Why?" I asked with real curiosity.

"Because they're detached from the magic they use. You would feel the life leave a person if you killed them, they just say a few words and poof, the life that is so fragile leaves the human body, never to be returned."

"Bob, even we can't return the life to someone's body." My mind was raging at Bob's choice of words; _you would feel the life leave a person if you killed them… _

"Just take the explanation, and trust me! People don't use wand magic for good, well not many of them do! I found it and…" his voice trailed off, I would ask him about that later.

"Fine! I'm going to work!" I left my lab, and grabbed the my black canvas duster off of the coat hook near the door, I grabbed the keys to the new blue beetle I'd bought, well it was actually probably twenty years old when I bought it but it was new to me. I walked out to the blue beetle and started it up. Then I drove to work.

In the months that I'd been back in Chicago, I'd gotten my license to be a Private Investigator, saved a kid from a troll, and succeeded in getting myself arrested…twice. It honestly just wasn't my kinda year. As I drove to my office in downtown Chicago, I kept seeing weird things going on, and by weird I mean the stuff that makes you say "HOW THE FUCK…!" People were floating, and some were staring blankly at brick walls, there was even one who was bleeding from his hair. When I say hair I mean hair, each strand of his hair was dripping blood as though it was normal. The people who were actually normal were acting as if the things happening around them were everyday occurrences.

That was when I saw it. A school bus floating through the streets like it was a plane. My mind immediately went to the Fae, they were always doing mischievous things to humans, but this was different. I parked the blue beetle and ran towards the bus. I jumped and grabbed onto the bus door, forcing it open I went inside.

That was when things got weirder, I walked down the aisle and looking out the window I saw things as though we were on the ground driving past cars, and stopping at stoplights, like it was all normal. Harry and Hermione were sitting in the same seat talking to each other as though it was all normal, when I walked up to them they both looked as though they had snapped out of a trance. I got the sickening feeling of falling, and threw my will out to slow our descent. The bus still hit the ground really hard and threw me into the roof.

Luckily the children all had seatbelts on, the district had installed them in all school busses so that the parents would stop complaining about the 'safety of the busses.' I groaned and all the kids were screaming. _Fuuuuck… _My body hurt all over,_ its only ten AM, _I thought. Harry and Hermione looked at me guiltily, their magic was going out of control without training, and they were only eleven.

"Mr. Dresden?" Hermione said.

"How many times do I have to tell you, Call me Harry," My voice sounded harsh.

"Sorry, but we were going to school, and didn't wanna be there," little Harry said.

"That's fine but you don't use magic to avoid life," _Ahhh, Hell, might as well teach them what I knew. _"You use magic for the benefit of those around you, you use it for mankind, and you defiantly never use it on other people unless there is a very, very, good reason. Understand?"

"Yeah, sorry Mr.-…Harry" They said in unison, both looked like I'd just killed a puppy.

"Alright guys go to school; after when you get home Charlie and I will teach you guys how to control your magic more effectively." Their eyes lit up and Hermione practically squealed in delight.

"Thank you Mr. Dresden! Thank you!" She blurted out.

Smiling I turned to get off the bus and heard the sirens. _Fuck! _I was about to get arrested a third time. _Might as well just go wait, _So I did. The police cruiser pulled up and I recognized the number, it was the cop I worked with for the kidnapping case that landed me in-between a troll and a ten year old girl, the cop's name was Karrin Murphy, she was barely five foot, and looked like she would do better as a model for Barbie dolls, her golden blonde hair was cut just above her shoulders, and she was defiantly pissed.

"Why is it always you who gets picked up for the weird shit!" She griped as she cuffed my hands. Luckily the bus was already on its way to the school, "You have the right to remain silent… yada yada yada, you know the drill." I smiled Murphy was a good cop, but she was defiantly tired of seeing me in hand cuffs.

After a while talking to her as I was taken downtown, she let me off with a small fine, because the only thing they could charge me with was disturbing the peace, I asked her if she needed consulting, she said she might in the future, and I left to get my car and go to work. This bad morning was just a sign of what was to come, and man was I going to regret waking up this morning.


	6. Chapter 6

A/N: Alright guys like I said in the last update, here's your next chapter. With my life in turmoil, haven't even been able to write anything since I posted My other X-over, Peter Parker Assassin however I've decided this will be the first one I pick up due to the number of people who are following it. So get ready for a little trouble in paradise, the Harrys and Hermione are back.

That night when Harry and Hermione walked in, I was in the lab, Bob was on my back and Charlie was yelling about the explosion that made her accidentally spill the whole spice cabinet into the spaghetti sauce she was making. When they saw me being yelled at they immediately commented on how good the apartment smelled (even though right now it smelled more like brimstone than anything else) which got Charlie off my back at least.

"Oh! Heyyy, guys," Charlie said in that doting voice females getting when talking to babies, or small dogs.

"Dammit Harry! How many times did I tell you that your calculations were wrong! You almost killed us both!" Bob continued as I finished putting out the small fire that was burning dangerously close to my research notes.

"Bob! I know! How many times do I have to tell you! I know! But my research can't go anywhere without testing the magic!" I was mostly just trying to get him to quit his cursing, but I meant every word of it.

"Seriously Harry… You need to listen to the thousands of years old spirit of knowledge more often, when I say that the calculations are wrong, they're wrong." His voice was high pitched and whiney when he said my name. Charlie turned around and gave the skull a dangerous glare. "How do you like it!" He asked, to which she responded with a huff, and began to make sandwiches for the kids instead. I chuckled at the exchange, and little Harry, looked thankfully towards Bob.

"Seriously though Harry, you need to be sure that your calculations are correct before testing something," I shut the trap door to the lab and turned back to Bob.

"Fine, next time you can check my work five times, and shout about the error only seconds before I unleash the spell."

He rolled his eyes, well sort of, and replied, "Well it isn't my fault that you have organization problems. The error is in that tiny little scribbling at the bottom of the page, the one about the finite amount of energy withdrawal from the focus object,"

"Yeah what about it?" I asked beginning to understand.

"The spell's own design makes the focus object continually draw power, and absorb it, however-"

"It absorbs power faster than it uses it, causing the focus to overload and in the cast of a crystal cause an explosion-"

"Which is not what the spell is for, however, a spell like this could be useful in a fight with another wizard."

"True. Start Recording. The infinite loop of power absorption and consumption completely negates the desired effect," the crudely enchanted pen was taking down every word I said, "which was to enable the caster to draw from the magic around himself rather than his own magical core, test number eighty-two failed. Stop Recording. I'm gonna go eat Bob, we can continue this afterwards."

"Alright Harry, oh and by the way, when are you and Mrs. Charlene going to… you know…"

"Shut up Bob!" I slammed the door shut, when the skull began laughing almost maniacally.

"Well when are you going to teach us about magic Mr. Dresden!

"Yes Harry, when were you going to teach them, or better yet, when were you going to tell me about teaching them?" I must've looked lost, because I had no idea what anyone was talking about. Then I remembered.

"Uhhhh… Riiiighht…. About that… Charlie, we need to teach them, because they were capable of creating two perfectly good illusions at the same time, while making an entire school bus full of kids float through Chicago. The only reason I saw it was the fact that it was crude and the magic was detectable. And kids, when Charlie agrees."

"Agrees! Dresden!" She sighed, "Why is it that the last six months with you have been more eventful that the last six years of my life?"

"What can I say? Other than you've had a boring life?" Little Harry laughed and Hermione giggled.

Charlie blushed, "Fine! But if the council comes after me for this I'm gonna kill you!" Smiling I gave her a kiss on the cheek, grabbed a PB&J and sprinted upstairs to take a shower before I had to start my duties as these kid's official mentor.


	7. Chapter 7

A/N: Two updates in a day, more to come hopefully, Enjoy.

After a supremely cold shower, due to the fact that I didn't have a water heater, I left the bathroom and stepped directly onto an angry cat's tail. He spun scratched my calf and ran off jumping up onto the bookshelf in the corner. My cat, well new cat, Mister was only about a couple months old, I'd found him shortly after getting home in a dumpster, as a mewling kitten. Feeling almost a sense of camaraderie with the orphaned cat I took him in and he loved me for it, when he wasn't angry at me for stepping on him or something like that. Charlie had tried kicking him out, but I wouldn't have it.

When I got down stairs I saw a pained looking Charlie, glaring into the eyes of the same old man that had tried to put a spell on the kids. She was defiantly battling his mind with her own, the kids were no where to be seen, and there was a very concerning banging noise in my lab. I grabbed my staff from where I'd dropped it in my room, and immediately I saw an angry looking hairy guy sprinting towards me, I jumped to the side, slamming the door shut, and afterwards realized that the angry hairy guy was very big. And when I say big I mean like eight or nine feet tall, and wide enough that when he ran through the bedroom door, he literally went through it.

I grabbed my staff and screamed frantically "FORZA!" The energy immediately flew from my body I waves, but the big man slammed hard into the ceiling and passed out. However the force between us pushed me through the wall behind me and into the old man, who had just looked up when I'd screamed. He yelled and obviously tried to break through my wards to leave just as he had before, but Bob and I had prepared for that.

Bob had analyzed some of the magic left on my body when I'd gotten back to Chicago and into the basement apartment where we were now. The magic was an ancient teleportation spell that had gone out of practical use due to the fact that its energy consumption was enormous. It was a MASTER wizard's last ditch escape attempt, with the exception of the wand wielders, Bob had gone on to tell me about the other sect of wizards in the world, a secret so well kept that the only ones who knew were the Fae, spirits such as himself, and the Leader of the White Council. Then we were able to reverse engineer the spell from the residual magic left on my body eventually adding the newly created ward to the ones around the apartment.

The ward collapsed around the old man, and began to create a pressure so dense that it would eventually crush the life out of him, but before I could get up the big man had pulled out a pink flowery umbrella and a ball of light smashed the ward into oblivion, and they were both gone.

Charlie collapsed off of the chair onto me, and began to sob. Now before I share this next part I have to add that in the movies things like that are always a LOT less painful looking. She landed with one knee on my crotch and knocked the wind out of me. Tears jumped to my eyes and gritting through the intense pain I rubbed her back and stroked her hair while whispering things like, "It's okay," and "Shhhh, shhhh, let it out." Again, before you think or say anything, this was all while intense pain, and the first time I'd ever had to do something like that.

After a while she looked up at my face and shifted her body a little, making the position a lot less painful, and giving me a full view of her tormented eyes. We had soul gazed the day we got back, and about a month before I met Elaine, so I wasn't scared of doing it again. However, my day was just about to get worse.

I felt the familiar sensation of the soul gaze take me, which meant that we had both changed drastically in the last few months. I was staring into a mirror, my reflection staring back. In the eyes of my reflection were Elaine, on one side, and Charlie on the other. Looking around I saw a world in chaos, something very different from Charlie's own personality which confused me. The mental landscape was scarred and burning almost like a great battle had taken place here.

There were bodies everywhere, they were all either Charlie or the old man, my reflection spoke, in my voice, "You know what a mind battle is like, but do you know how to handle someone who can use magic to splinter your defenses like they were a wooden shield against a battering ram? Can you really defeat someone with a thousand times more experience than you? Can you selflessly lie down your own mind for two children who you've only known for six months? He asked her the same questions; this is the result of her answers…" I turned to myself, and realized that there was no mirror, only a second me. He stood there in a black leather duster, his staff different from my own, more refined, and he was more handsome, no five-o'clock shadow, no bruises, and everything about him was somehow better than my own.

One of the old men on the ground moved he pulled out a rod, not a wand, this was different, and shot a jet of flame at the man. "Make one of these, it will help you, very much. I call it a blasting rod." He gave me a good look at it, and the soul gaze ended.

I was looking into Charlie's eyes, and she into my own, there were tears in hers, and her lip was trembling. She spoke only a couple words, "How do you live like that?" then she passed out.


	8. Chapter 8

A/N: Three in one night, you can call me butter…

I carried Charlie to the bed, yes, we sleep, together; however, like Bob insinuated earlier, we aren't doing anything but sleeping. I looked down at her, she looked fragile. I smiled and turned to find the kids staring at Charlie's prostrate form. "Don't worry kids, she is alright, I promise."

"Why is that man trying to hurt us Mr. Dresden?" Hermione asked, Harry was silent, looking thoughtful.

"I don't think he is Hermione," other Harry said before I could answer. "It seems more like he is trying to find us. He probably just wants us to do something for him."

"Or he is trying to kill us and being cocky about it," she replied, reaching for something in her pocket. When she pulled it out, I recognized it as an MP3 player, something I could neither afford nor work due to the complex technologies in the MP3 player being shorted out when they came in contact with my magical energies. That blew my mind, because her magical energies should've done the same to the device. Immediately my mind began to race.

"Kids come with me!" I ran past them into my lab slamming my front door shut as I went by. I slid down the ladder and woke Bob. "BOB! I just had a breakthrough!" They followed me into the lab. "Bob, they can work electronics!"

The skulls eye sockets lit up brighter than normal, "I think I know what you're getting at Harry! Can I come out to check them?"

"Yes Bob, but only to check them nothing else."

"If you're right Harry, that's all I'll need." A second later he floated out of his skull, and surrounded them, one kid at a time, then, quicker than that he was back in his skull, talking. "Harry! They-"

"Aren't cut off from their magic, its cut off from them!" I finished his sentence for him. "If we can duplicate this, the wand magic would be easy, because-"

"It would sense you're magical core and that the magic wasn't tied,"

"It's a safety mechanism Bob! Kids I need your guy's help really quick, I need you to-"I was cut off when someone knocked on my door. Running up the ladder thoroughly pissed off I answered the door with a gruff, "What?"

"Is now a bad time Dresden?" asked Karrin Murphy.

"Shit, sorry officer, just doing some research is all." I answered a little ashamed.

"Research? On what?"

"Magic," I answered truthfully.

"Look Dresden there's been a murder, and I need your help." As she finished her sentence an owl flew in over her head and right into my face, I dropped, and took a swing at the owl with my arm, narrowly missing Murphy's chin. She pulled her gun and took aim at the bird until she realized it WAS only a bird. "Dammit Dresden, last time I worked with you a hole the size of an SUV opened on a bridge but you saved a kidnapped girl, this time before you even start there's birds flying around your apartment? Your life is way too hectic!"

"HOLY SHIT!" I yelled a little to loudly, "Did you see that! Some bird just flys into my house and now its just dropping…mail?" I watched the curious little owl drop some letters and then it flew right out again.

Murphy looked confused as I felt, so together we walked towards the letters, Murphy's gun was still raised. "Dammit Murph! Put the gun down its just a couple letters." She blushed a little then put the gun away. I grabbed the mail, and looked at it. The letters were addressed to a:

Mr. Harry J. Potter

The Couch Next to the Fireplace

1313 13th Street

And:

Miss Hermione Jean Granger

The Couch Next to the Couch Next to the Fireplace

1313 13th Street

What really scared me the most was that whoever this was knew where the kids slept, the next thing to scare me was the realization that I lived on 1313 13th Street, which kind of explains my bad luck if you think about it. "Since when do I live on 1313 13th Street?" I wondered out loud.

"You don't even know your own address Dresden?" Murphy looked shocked, "And who are Harry James Potter, and Hermione Jean Granger?"

"As of tonight my apprentices, officially, British Wizards. Honestly I never thought my life could get any more out of the norm… but hell, living on 1313 13th Street has got to be affecting it somehow…" I looked at Murphy who was staring curiously at the children standing on the rug that covers the trap door to my lab.

"Dresden? Are those the kids Interpol is looking for?"

"What? Interpol? Shit."

She hit me, "Dresden! Language! You have a lot of explaining to do. Start with the kids."

So I told her everything that had transpired since my Doom of Damocles hearing, and my heroic… kidnapping of the two children. At parts of it her mouth dropped in horror, looking at the children they nodded their heads in confirmation, and Harry even lifted his shirt when I told about the abuse they had both suffered.

Murphy didn't believe Hermione had been abused, but I told her what Hermione had told me, her father was the abuser, and her mother just wanted to keep the family together, then Hermione turned around and revealed the scars from what looked like belt buckles. Murphy's eyes began to water, and I looked away, almost like a silent agreement between the two of us, I'd let Murphy get sad like I had when I'd seen it, then it would be over no questions asked.

When I looked back, she was hugging the kids almost like they were her own.

"Dresden…" there was a loud sniff, "you're a good man…Thank you for doing the right thing, even when you could've been killed by your order." I had told Murphy just enough that she could understand the situation, because if she knew about the White council, she could, and most likely would be killed. She stood up, and turned to face me. The tears were gone, and she said, "Now about that murder."

A/N: Because I'm on a roll. Now for those of you wondering about Hermione's abuse, and why her parents would call it in, her mom called it in, her dad beats her. Sometimes there is a…well not good parent, but a better parent.


	9. Chapter 9

A/N: I DO NOT own any of the characters in this story, I DO NOT own any of the italicized paragraphs, and I DO NOT own a magic wand, which kinda sucks. Anyway, quick update, this might be the last update for a while, going to a family reunion for the next couple weeks. I should be back in less than 2 weeks, but if not, my bad, and sorry in advance. 

I got home late that night. My stomach was churning from the scene I'd just witnessed. As I thought on it my mind drifted back to it.

_"Wait here a minute," Murphy told me. Then she went through the door to the right of the entryway and into what I supposed was the bedroom of the suite._

_ I wandered around the sitting room with my eyes mostly closed, noting things. Leather couch. Two leather chairs. Stereo and television in a black glossy entertainment center. Champagne bottle warming in a stand holding a brimming tub of what had to be ice the night before, with two empty glasses set beside it. There was a red rose petal on the floor, clashing with the carpeting (but then, in that room, what didn't?)_

_ A bit to one side, under the skirt of one of the leather recliners, was a little piece of satiny cloth. I bent at the waist and lifted the skirt with one hand, careful not to touch anything, a pair of black-satin panties, a tiny triangle with lace coming off the points, lay there, one strap snapped as though the thong had simply been torn off. Kinky._

_ The stereo system was state of the art, though not an expensive brand. I took a pencil from my pocket and pushed the play button with the eraser. Gentle, sensual music filled the room, a low heavy bass, a driving drumbeat, wordless vocals, the heavy breathing of a woman in the background._

_ The music continued for a few seconds more, and then it began to skip over a section about two seconds long, repeating it over and over again._

_ I grimaced._

_ "The love suite," came a man's voice, drawing the word _love_ out into _luuuuuuuv_. "What do you think Mister Man?"_

_ "Hello, Detective Carmichael," I said, without turning around. Carmichael's rather light, nasal voice had a distinctive quality. He was Murphy's partner and the resident skeptic, convinced that I was nothing more than a charlatan, scamming the city out of its hard earned money. "Were you saving the panties to take home yourself, or did you just overlook them?" I turned and looked at him. He was short, overweight and balding, with beady, bloodshot eyes and a weak chin. His jacket was rumpled, and there were food stains on his tie, all of which served to conceal a razor intellect. He was a sharp cop, and absolutely ruthless at tracking down killers._

_ He walked over to the chair and looked down, "Not bad Sherlock," he said, "But that's just foreplay. Wait'll you see the main attraction. I'll have a bucket waiting for you." He turned and killed the malfunctioning CD player with a jab from the eraser end of his own pencil._

_ I widened my eyes at him, to let him know how terrified I was, then walked past him and into the bedroom. And regretted it. I looked , noted details mechanically, and quietly shut the door on the part of my head that started screaming the second I entered the room._

_ They must've died sometime the night before, as rigor mortis had already set in. They were on the bed; she was astride him, body leaned back, back bowed like a dancer's, the curves of her breasts making a lovely outline. He stretched beneath her, a lean, powerfully built man, arms reaching out and grasping the satin sheets, gathering them in his fists. Had it been an erotic photograph, it would have made a striking tableau._

_ Except that the lovers' rib cages on the upper left side of their torsos had expanded outward, through their skin, the ribs jabbing out like ragged, snapped knives. Arterial blood had sprayed out of their bodies, all the way to the mirror on the ceiling, along with pulped gelatinous masses that had to be what remained of their hearts. Standing over them I could see into the upper cavities of their bodies. I noted the now grayish lining around the now motionless left lungs and edges of the ribs, which were apparently forced outward and snapped by some force within._

_ It defiantly cut down on the erotic potential._

That was the scene that greeted me in the Madison Hotel, which was about a 15 minute walk from my office, who's door reads,

HARRY DRESDEN – WIZARD

_Lost Items Found. Paranormal Investigations_

_Consulting. Advice. Reasonable Rates._

_No Love Potions, Endless Purses, Parties, or Other_

_Entertainment_

Carmichael had come through with the bucket though, because when I was done I needed it. After I was done throwing up, Murphy explained just who the people in the bedroom were, Tommy Tom, one of "Gentleman" Johnnie Marcone's bodyguards, and a girl named Jennifer Stanton, who worked for the Velvet Room.

Johnnie Marcone is the main man in organized crime in Chicago, he keep the streets violence free, he is a business man, and violence is bad for business. However it wasn't very suprising that someone wanted one of Marcone's thugs dead, I mean who doesn't hate organized crime.

The Velvet Room is a high priced escort service run by a woman named Bianca. Bianca keeps a flock of beautiful, charming, and witty young women, pandering them to the richest men in the area for hundreds of dollars an hour. Bianca sells the type of female company that most men only see on TV and in the movies. I also knew she was a vampiress, one with considerable influence in the Nevernever. She has power with a capital P.

So I came home, more than a little angry at myself for eating that PB&J earlier. So far today, I'd had a breakthrough with my research, the only good thing I'd had happen today, I'd been attacked by an old man and a giant, I'd been arrested, learned that the kids I was now in charge of were being searched for by Interpol, and to top it all off there was a psychopathic sorcerer out there killing people with magic, I really shouldn't have gotten out of bed this morning.


	10. Chapter 10

A/N: Just to clarify, the only character I own from this story is Charlene, the others Dresden, Harry and Hermione, belong to Jim Butcher, and J.K Rowling, respectively. I do not own the letter's that they get either, those are pulled directly from page 51 of Harry Potter and the Sorcerers Stone.

As I walked to the couch next to the fireplace, I remembered the letters. I heard what sounded like excited children talking and making an all around ruckus, which to be honest kinda pissed me off. So I went towards the noise, and peeked inside the room where I'd left Charlie sleeping. Harry and Hermione were running around the bed, Mister on their heels, yelling about something called Frog Warts.

Charlie gave me a look of hopelessness, so I cleared my throat loudly trying to get the children's attention. And it worked.

"CAN WE GO MR. DRESDEN! CAN WE! CAN WE! PLEASE!" Hermione was jumping up and down in front of me holding a piece of paper that was folded three times. On the paper was a formal almost business like letter:

Hogwarts School

of Witchcraft and Wizardry

Headmaster: Albus Dumbledore

(_Order of Merlin, First Class, Grand Sorc., Chf. Warlock_

_Supreme Mugwump, International Confed. of Wizards_)

Dear Miss Granger,

We are pleased to inform you that you have been accepted to Hogwarts School of Witchcraft and Wizardry. Please find enclosed a list of all necessary books and equipment.

Term begins on September 1. We await your owl by no later than July 31.

Yours sincerely,

Minerva McGonagall

Minerva McGonagall

_Deputy Headmistress_

I looked at Charlie, then at the children, Harry had a letter exactly like the one I was now holding in my hand.

"Dresden? How come we never got letters to 'Hogwarts'?" Charlie asked me.

"I've never heard of it before either," looking back down at the letter, I said, "Alright kids, maybe, but I have to do some things first before I say yes or no, understand?"  
>"Yes Mr. Dresden." They said in unison. My day was only getting worse. I walked down into my lab and woke Bob.<p>

"Bob! Have you ever heard of a school of Witchcraft and Wizardry?" I asked him.

"You mean the one in Europe? They only teach the wand wizards, but if you could disguise yourself as a wand wizard with the new spell I've been working on you could go and learn there."

"Bob I don't want to go learn there-"

"Well you sure as hell can't teach there!"

"Dammit Bob! Shut up! The Children got these letters today, addressed to where they sleep, accepting them to Hogwarts, a-"

"School for Witchcraft and Wizardry! I know Harry!"

"-and I want you to scan the letters."

"Why?"

"Because it says that the headmaster of this school is Albus Dumbledore," I answered.

"Albus? Isn't that what the old man trying to curse the children called himself?"

"Yes, and he attacked the house earlier today,"

"Fine, I'll scan the damn things," Bob was normally never bitter about coming out of his skull, so I stayed silent while he did his job. "Yeah, the old man, Albus put some type of charm on them."

"Can you tell what kind of charm it is?" I asked, more than a little concerned.

"Well if you would read the back, you would see what it was. Dammit Harry! Do I have to do everything my self?"

"Bob, what's wrong?" I asked turning over the letter. On the back there was a note in slanted handwriting

Kids this is a Portkey, a type of teleportation magic, it will activate when you say the words,

"Diagon Alley"

"Well, I've been cooped up in the skull for a long time now, and I haven't gotten any new romance novels in a long time, and I feel almost unappreciated," Bob explained as my mind frantically tried to work out what the hell was going on.

"Well I have a job for you Bob," I said distractedly, "I need you to look for any magical signatures other than the ones in this house, and tell me where they are, someone has been using magic to rip people's hearts out."

"You can count on me boss-man!" Bob said animatedly.

"No strip clubs Bob, I mean it. I give you permission to come out of your skull to complete the mission I've given you, nothing more."

"YES!" Bob exclaimed loudly.

"Oh, and Bob, if you get something usable I will buy you some new romance novels," I said to pique his interest more than it was on being let out. He let out a whooping noise and continued on his mission. I climbed the ladder up to the living room, and saw the kids sitting on the couches talking about "Hogwarts." With a smile I walked over and asked to see Harry's letter as well. Upon seeing the writing on the back both children wanted to see what it said, however I wasn't about to let the charmed paper teleport them to god knows where, so I explained the situation to them using the scariest, most likely situation I could come up with.

Both children, on completion of my story were wary of the letters that I now carried. I'd told them that the letters had come from the same old man, Albus, who was trying to hurt them, and it sounded like an elaborate hoax to fool them into his trap.

Even though I knew Hogwarts existed, I was still wary of sending these children there without proper protection from any mind magic that the old man might use on them. So, that night I committed myself to creating some type of shield to protect them from the old man's influence.

By the time the sun was rising, Bob was back, and everyone was waking up, I had finally completed my newest invention. It was a necklace, just like mine, with a sliver pentagram on a strip of leather. I'd used almost all of my energy to enchant both with spells that shielded the wearer from any type of mind altering magic or mind invasion, and a spell to make the necklace's magic undetectable.

I let Bob get some rest, while I took the newly made necklaces to the children. "Alright guys, I am going to let you go to Hogwarts," they squealed in delight, "on one condition, you have to wear these at all, and I mean ALL times." They nodded their heads in acceptance of the rule I'd just lain down.

"You aren't to tell anyone about them, okay? If you do people could use them to hurt you, understand?" They nodded again.

"Mr. Dresden?"

"Yes Hermione?"

"If people could use them to hurt us, why are we taking them? Couldn't they hurt other people?"

I smiled at her concern, she would make a good sorceress one day, "No, Hermione, they couldn't, but if people know about them they will try to take them from you. These necklaces protect you, and if they are gone, so is the protection."

"I see, almost like lucky charms-"

"No," I pulled my own necklace out, "I got this from my mother when she died, mine isn't like yours, mine is a charm. Yours is like this," I pulled up the sleeve on my right arm and showed them my shield bracelet (also inherited from my mother), "this is a shield bracelet, it protects me from physical harm, your necklaces have an enchantment on them that is almost exactly like the one on my bracelet, with a modification, it protects you from mental harm," I explained.

"Mental harm?" Harry asked.

"Magic, kids, isn't just using fire and power to throw spells around, it is life, it is without use of a better word, your life force. It comes from within you, not from without, you can use magic to do anything, but with magic there are consequences, its illegal to kill with magic, its illegal to control others, and its illegal to modify someone's mind, doing things like that, are what cause bad people with a power like ours, to become tyrants. Never, ever use your power to harm someone else; magic is for the betterment of others, not yourself, understand?" I explained to them the way I'd been taught.

"But what if bad people want to hurt us?" Again, I smiled, these kids were just the kind of apprentices I needed.

"There are situations like that where it may be self defense, and that is okay, but only if you need to." Smiling I put the necklaces on them, and hugged them, these kids were really growing on me.


	11. Chapter 11

It was a couple days after my battle with a crazed Sorcerer; the White Council had lifted my Doom of Damocles sentence due to the capture of a dangerous Warlock, and the protecting of a family in danger of said Warlock. Morgan had saved my life, after suspecting me of being the one to kill all of the people who had died during the past three nights. I'd found out that the man behind the killings was using the power of the thunder storms to fuel his dark rituals.

In the end I ended up confronting him in his house by the lake, which ended up burning down along with his huge supply of the drug Three Eye which gave normal people the Wizard Sight, which allows us to see things in their true form, the one most people don't see. I'd alienated Murphy by not telling her the whole story, and I was now in a strange little shopping center with Charlie, Harry, and Hermione, it was turning out to be one of those weeks.

I had Bob in a small pouch on the inside of my duster, and he had confirmed that the place we were in was indeed called Diagon Alley. So we had proceeded to do our shopping, and honestly it was great. There were things in this wizarding shopping center that I'd never seen before, the coolest being flying broomsticks which the owner told me had varying levels of speed and agility, and were used to play some sort of all wizard sport called Quidditch.

However we couldn't get anything because the money that these wizards used wasn't standard currency, it was golden, silver, and bronze coins, called Galleons, Sickles, and Knuts. The shop keeper told us that we could open an account at the wizarding bank called Gringotts, and exchange what he called, Muggle money, for Galleons and the like. So we went straight there, after getting directions from a kindly fellow in what looked like a green bathrobe, and a pointy hat.

At the doors were two fae of the Winter Queen's court. "Goblins! Goblins run this bank Harry!" Bob was as excited to see all of this as I was. The kids were enjoying themselves as well; even Charlie was, though she was trying to be the 'mature' one. Inside, there was a wall with a poem on it warning thieves that to steal from this bank would end in the thief's death. Knowing the Unseelie (winter) fae, I knew that the threat wasn't an empty one.

We walked up to the main desk, and a goblin who was very ugly, even for his kind, spoke; "Names!"

"Dresden, Potter, Granger, and…" I looked at Charlie who nodded, "…Black."

"Potter? Does Mr. Potter have his key?"

"Key?"

"Yes Mr. Potter has a vault here in Gringotts, left to him by his parents, Lily and James Potter." The goblin spoke almost with reverence when he spoke of James and Lily Potter.

"Uhhh, no, we were never informed of Harry's vault." I answered.

"Come with me." The goblin said shortly. He jumped down from his perch and stood at knee level with me, chest level with the kids, and waist level with Charlie. We followed him into a room that looked to be sound proofed. The door slammed behind us as soon as we entered, five goblin guards drew weapons, swords, and axes mostly, but the one we had followed drew a malicious looking mace.

"Mr. Potter, please come with me, this man is dangerous," The lead goblin said.

"No he isn't he saved me!" Harry's defense of my actions was noble, but I wasn't about to let him get hurt because of me.

"Kid, take Hermione and go with the goblins you won't be hurt, am I right?" The goblin nodded, "NO! Say it!"

"They will be safe."

"Do you promise?"

"They will be safe."

"Once more just to clarify."

"They will be safe."

A fae, lives by rules, rules that it cannot break, on of those rules being the rule of three, something said thrice is a promise which a fae cannot break. After the goblin said his third sentence, I pushed the children over to him.

"The word he gave is good, don't give them trouble, I promise I will see you again. Four goblins, two per child escorted the children to an antechamber, four more took their places, and the lead goblin tilted his head at me.

"You know of our rules?" He asked puzzled as to how a mortal could possibly know of the rule of three.

"Yes, now drop the act, you winter court lackey." Again the goblin was taken aback at how I knew so much. "Do what you will, I'll have you know, this will not end quietly."

"No, I think it will. Sheath your weapons." The goblins around us did as commanded. "You look almost familiar to me Mr?"

"I already told you! Dresden!" The goblin's eyes widened and all of the goblins around us started talking amongst themselves. It was my turn to be confused. Looking around, I saw portraits of a woman, she was human, her eyes were deep brown, almost black, her cheekbones high, but not too high, she had a shapely body, and she seemed to almost stare into you, even through the pictures.

I felt the all too familiar tug of the soul gaze, and was instantly teleported into a mindscape so very different from any I'd been in previously, that I thought for a moment that I was in the mind of a Fae. Then I began to see things, mortal things, that I recognized. A picture of my mother and father, holding hands, side by side, the bracelet I now wore on my wrist lying on an endtable along with the same pendant I wore around my neck. Turning a full 180 degrees, I saw the room I grew up in, the one my father had barely paid for on his measly salary as a stage magician. Tears sprung to my eyes and I fell to my knees.

Soon I felt a presence at my side, and a hand on my shoulder. I looked up into the same deep brown eyes, as in the picture, the same deep brown eyes I'd dreamed I'd see somewhere other than a picture since I was old enough to know who they belonged to.

The deep brown eyes belonged to my mother, Margaret Gwendolyn.


	12. Chapter 12

A/N: I do not own Margaret Gwendolyn, however I do own this tiny story arch, not the characters (cept Miss Charlene Black), but the rest, yeah. To be honest this chapter was kinda hard to write, so fair warning, it might be a little tear jerking.

* * *

><p>"Mom?" My vision blurred, "Is it really you?"<p>

"Yes honey, its me," She answered.

"Where were you mom?" My sadness was quickly turning to anger.

"Here son, before you get angry with me, let me explain. I used to dabble in magic, I didn't believe the Council when they said that the quest for immortality was one that would lead me to my grave. But I should probably start from the beginning, my mentor, Ebenezer McCoy,"

"What? He taught me too, mom." I interrupted.

"Shh, Harry, listen, my mentor, and father, Ebenezer McCoy, tried to tell me when I was young that it was foolish to try and gain immortality and that in, as he put it, a long way down the road when he was dead, and I was no longer a young sorceress, I would understand that immortality wasn't all it was cracked up to be, and yes, your grandfather is Ebenezer McCoy.

"Anyway, I didn't believe him, so I went into the fae, I traveled it extensively, eventually gaining the nickname LaFae, I befriended Mab, Titania, their daughters, and even their mothers. I pretty much lived in the fae for somewhere around five years, looking for the cure for mortality. I asked the mother's of Winter and Summer, neither had the answer, neither could point me in the right direction. So I went deeper, time in the fae is not relative to time in the mortal realm, and so I traveled through the deepest reaches of the wild faelands, eventually coming to an area guarded by goblins. These goblins, however, weren't Seelie or Unseelie, they weren't even leaning one way or the other.

"The goblins gave me a choice, I could continue my quest in vain, or if I paid the right price, find exactly what I was looking for. I asked the price, and they told me that I would have to serve as their leader for eternity, never seeing my family or friends again, never to leave their fortress in the mortal world, so close yet so far from the ones I had once loved.

"In my youth, I accepted, they granted my time enough to put my affairs in order, however when I went back to the mortal world I met a man, Malcolm, your father. Oh, he was so handsome, we fell in love, and then I got pregnant. We ran, I told him of my problems, making him promise never to tell you, I didn't want you wrapped up in the politics of a goblin court, so after I had you I gave myself up, and the goblins made me their leader.

"After spending time in the court, I realized why the goblins chose a mortal to do the job, none of them had the patience for it, and they couldn't decide on a goblin leader anyway, it resulted in many civil wars, and much infighting. So after I was crowned queen of the free goblin tribes of the Wildfae, I took over a job that was not as glorious as being queen sounds to most.

"I sat around all day settling disputes over land, wealth, and the occasional uprising. For somewhere around 20 years now I've lived here, and haven't seen another mortal soul, but I found a loophole long ago in the contract. Should someone of my blood be found on goblin soil, that person, would decide the next ruler, the next immortal, however, the queen, and the queen's offspring would be retain, or be granted immortality upon request. I however no longer have the desire to be immortal; I want to live my life with the people I love, with you and your father.

"So please honey, chose a goblin who can take my place, and let us leave this horrible place." My mother smiled at me, and the soul gaze ended, but before it was completely over I looked past my mother and saw two people, one tall, built, wearing glasses, and presumably male, the other shapely, with piercing green eyes, just like the boy I was now the protector of.

I was back in the torch lit chamber with Charlie, and the six goblins. My eyes focused on the lead goblin, who said, "How did you find this place!"

Smiling, I barked, "Release the children to me at once or suffer my wrath!" The goblins around me yelped and began to scurry around, the leader flinched, and waved his hand for the kids to be returned. "Now, I know what I am supposed to do here, so I will say this, you will take us to the Potter vault, and you will allow us entry with the key, that I know you have, and you will allow my mother to leave this place." My smile widened at the goblin, when he yelped in surprise.

"I will not!" he squeaked.

"DO IT NOW!"

"You are a worthy adversary young Dresden, so I will do as you say," The goblin still feared me, but he now knew that I was only protecting my own. "You will be allowed a small amount of gold from the goblin courts when this is all over, and you will be named Master Evoker, a title no human has ever claimed among the goblins." He walked carefully towards the door.

Looking around I realized that the squealing guard goblins had all been incinerated, my staff was smoking, and Charlie was pressed against my back. I looked at her and smiled slightly, she responded with and exasperated laugh, and a tight hug.

"How the hell did you do that Dresden?" she whispered in my ear.

"What?" I whispered back.

"When you yelled; Do it now, flames burst from your staff and incinerated the goblins leaving me untouched, but the flames swirled around you until you came back to the real world…"

"I did that?"

"Yeah you did Harry, it was quite the spectacle," Bob commented from my duster pocket, "Oh, and thanks,"

"For what?" I asked.

"For helping me get to second base." Looking down in unison with Charlie I realized Bob's skull was between mine and Charlie's chests.

She jumped back covering herself, and I immediately chastised Bob.

"What! Its not my fault I'm a skull, and am therefore easily forgotten, however, I did enjoy it quite a lot. Then Charlie did something I never would've suspected, she laughed. Hard. The goblin came in with a very confused looking Harry, an equally confused looking Hermione, both looking at the new person with them, my mother, who looked about 20 years older now that her immortality was gone. I ran towards her and embraced my mother for the first time ever in my life. And for the first time ever in my life, I was truly, utterly, happy.

I chose the goblin leader, to become the king, his name, Ragnok, and we purchased all of the things that the kids needed for school, books, wands, and robes. We even had ice cream and everyone caught up with eachother. The whole day went by in blur, and by the end of it I had a horrible realization. This day was great and all, but my mother, was aging fast, she had looked some where between 40 and 50 when she had come out with the goblin, but now she looked older, almost 60.

When I brought it up she said, "The effects of losing my immortality have made my aging process faster, I believe that by tomorrow, you will not have a mothe-"

"I never had a mother! I was raised by a man named Malcolm Dresden, and to me a mother was always my greatest dream! Why didn't you tell me!" I was almost in tears again, Charlie took the kids into another room.

"Because I knew you would never accept it. You would ask for my immortality, to make up for lost time."

"Mom…I was taught by a great man, that the choices we make effect those around us, and that to make a choice without thinking of another's wants, or well being was foolish, and cruel, the same man you fell in love with. How could you possibly think that of me?" I asked, more than a little hurt by her words.

"Harry, I'm sorry, I didn't think-"

"That my father's words would mean so much to me? That the man you loved would teach me a lesson that I would take to heart?"

"That you would sacrifice your happiness for mine, when I failed to do the same for you." I grimaced at her choice of words.

"Mom, I love you, and you made that choice before you met dad, it isn't your fault," I knew that she hadn't planned for any of this, and I knew that it wasn't her plan to leave my motherless, things just ended up that way, and it wasn't my place to judge her for something she did when she was young and foolish. Then she collapsed. Running to her I caught her in my arms and watched as my mother aged rapidly, from 60 to 100 in seconds.

"You are a wise young man honey, I know that one day you will make a great father, a great teacher, and for some lucky lady, a great husband. I love you." And with that the woman that I'd just met, the mother I'd always longed for was dead. Charlie walked in and I cried, for hours I cried over my mother's death.

But when I heard the door open and close once more, I stood, and looked into the faces of the two children I was going to raise, and silently vowed to be exactly as my mother had prophesized. _I WILL NOT FAIL THEM MOM, I PROMISE…_


	13. Chapter 13

A/N: Honestly, I've changed a lot of the timeline with this story, so some of the DF books will not make it into this FanFic, mainly Changes, and Ghost Story, but since that's a long way off, and maybe into a whole other Fic, lets just say, we will cross that bridge when we come to it.

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><p>It had been about three months since the fiasco at Gringotts and the death of my mother, but I'd alienated Murphy, so my jobs with the city were over, so I'd developed a new Identity, and worked for weeks on a spell that would give the impression that I was younger. I had been teaching Charlie the tricks of the PI trade, and she had gotten a job with another PI, to get her license. I had finished my research on using wands with the help of Bob, and was on my way to becoming a student at the magic academy Hogwarts.<p>

I'd tricked even the people who were supposed to send letters home to families, telling them about Hogwarts, I'd gotten one only days earlier, and had already picked up the needed materials to go to Hogwarts. The semester started in five days and we were packing to get on the Hogwarts express, something I'd learned about only recently in a conversation with Bob.

"_Well Bob, the plan is rolling and so far its going without a hitch, save the small problem of actually getting to Hogwarts that is."_

"_Well Harry, there is actually an easy way to do that, there is a train station, called Kings Cross, in London, in the train station, is a magically concealed section, with a platform, 9 ¾. To get there one must run or walk at the wall between platforms 9 and 10. Just be sure not to be seen doing it or people will wonder."_

That revelation more than pissed me off. Mostly due to the fact that Bob knew that the whole time and hadn't said anything, but also because I was already a little pissed to begin with. Only hours before I'd been explaining the plan to Charlie.

"_See? It's foolproof, I've already fooled the people at Hogwarts into sending me a letter of acceptance, now all I have to do is get inside. After that protecting the kids, and learning the magic will be a cake walk."_

"_Dresden, this isn't a good idea. I know that these kids are like your adopted babies, but please, just listen to reason."_

"_NO! Dammit Charlie we've been through this a dozen times, I will not leave those kids to that maniacal old man! He will try to modify their minds! I won't, I repeat, WILL NOT, let it happen,"_

"_That's what you made those pentacle amulets for! So he couldn't alter their minds! Stop being so stubborn!"_

"_Charlie! Please just have faith in me, I won't let anything bad happen to them, I swear,"_

"_I'm not worried about them Dresden,"_

After talking to Bob I continued my lessons with the children, who were learning how to control their magic, and in Hermione's case the way she looked at people. A soul gaze wasn't something she could risk in a place so public as a school, especially a school with people like that old man, Albus.

"_Like this daddy?" she asked, I don't know why but Hermione had started calling me daddy. I didn't mind, because that's what I hoped to be for her, a good father, not like that drunken bastard she had before. So I went along with it, it made her more comfortable, and it sort of made me feel accomplished, like I'd done something that would be remembered long after I was dead._

"_Yes, sweetheart, that's good, but you have to give the impression that you are looking the person in the eyes, its like being in a play." I showed her how I normally do it. _

"_Daddy!" she giggled, "Stop, you are gonna start a soul gaze!" She looked away._

"_See? I was looking at the bridge of your nose right between your eyes, and it felt like I was looking directly at them." I smiled then turned to Harry. I'd learned that the reason he couldn't soul gaze was due to the fact that for some reason he had more than one soul. One of them however was darker, almost evil. The other was more like what I'd expect of a child who was only 11._

"_So Mr. Dresden, if I think really hard, and will for this to float, I can get it to do this," he showed me and the ring I'd given him to try and levitate wiggled and bounced slightly. "See!" he was always so excited when he did something right. _

_I smiled, "Yeah, I saw, but you don't just think hard and will, you have to want it, you have to really want it to happen. Think of something that you want really badly," I watched him close his eyes and think, "Got it?"_

"_Yeah, I have it." I smiled._

"_Let it fill you up, and make sure its something you want very, very, much,"_

"_It is…"_

"_Good, now make the ring float." The ring in his hand began to move upwards ever so slowly, "good, now if you feel tired don't let the magic keep going, okay?"_

"_Okay…" The ring floated higher and higher._

"_Good, now open your eyes." He did, and he watched for a second as the ring floated, suspended in midair, before it fell into his hand and lay still._

"_WOW! Did you see that Hermione!" _

"_That was amazing Harry! Can you teach me next daddy?" Smiling I turned back and continued to teach the children that continued to mean more and more to me each day._

That night everyone went to bed thoroughly worn out. Me, from all of my research, on top of planning, and teaching, Charlie from my teaching methods, and the kids from using controlled magic for the first time. I could honestly never remember a moment when I'd been so proud.

After a good nights rest, the last stages of planning I decided to move forward with the plan, so I disguised myself and took on my new identity as Jason Black. Then we set out for London, and Kings Cross station.


	14. Chapter 14

Kings Cross station, was honestly the most brutally, loud place I'd ever been, and for me that's saying something. I'd opted to leave Bob behind so that he could help Charlie with any investigations she might need him for while I was away. On our way there, I explained to the Harry, and Hermione the importance of not calling me 'Mr. Dresden' or 'daddy' while we were at the school unless no one else was around, and that my name from this point on was Jace, or Jason.

Hermione was a little put out by that, and upon seeing her face, I remembered the night before;

"_Daddy?" My eyes flew open, and I sat up in bed._

_Looking towards the door I saw Hermione, dressed for bed in the PJ's that Charlie had bought for her. They were pink with little dog foot prints on them, to be honest it was pretty cute. "What is it sweetheart?" My voice came out hoarse, like most people's after they'd just woken up._

"_I had a bad dream…" I chuckled at the innocence of children._

"_Its okay, come here," I stood up from the bed, and knelt down in front of her and gave her a hug, briefly remembering my own father doing the same for me when I was her age. "What was it about?" I asked genuinely concerned, because for wizards dreams were more than just brain activity during REM sleep._

"_There was a castle, and it was spring time, and I was there, and Harry, and you, but you were Jace, and we were in a room. There was a big sleeping dog, but it wasn't a normal dog, it had three heads, and it was enormous, we got passed it, and the next thing I remember, we were in a room, and you were hurt daddy, you were bleeding. You told me and Harry to stop going forward, and then I saw a rock, and a man with two faces, the man with the faces came at me and I woke up._

"_I was so scared daddy," she buried her head deeper into my shoulder._

"_It's okay Hermione, let me show you something." I pulled out my mother's pentacle amulet, and told Hermione to pull out her own. She did, "You see that symbol?"_

"_Yes? What is it?"_

"_It's a symbol for magic, the five points each representing a part of being a wizard. Each point corresponds to a different element of nature."_

"_But daddy, there are only four elements of nature, fire," I pointed at one of the points on the star, "earth, air, and water," I pointed at another point of the star for each word she said. "But there's five points to the star."_

"_Exactly, the fifth point to the star is Spirit, and the circle represents the wizard, and how we can control each of these forces, most people think of this symbol as one of Satanism, or other pagan religions, however, when looked at by a wizard, it represents magic, and life." I explained, smiling, and proud that she had paid my lessons any attention._

"_So? What does it mean for me?"_

"_What ever you want it to mean, this is a symbol of faith, and when someone truly believes in something, they can do anything, watch," I poured my belief of magic into the amulet as I had dozens of times before, and it began to glow. "Because I have faith in magic, and because I believe, I can make bad things and people go away, because for a lot of the monsters out there, a human's faith is painful, they don't like it because it gives us power."_

"_So if I believe, my amulet can do that?"_

"_Yes, and if you believe, you can make it through the darkness unscathed, because with faith comes power." I spoke those words exactly as my father had, even though he wasn't a wizard, and I didn't get the demonstration, I had known that my father was right, and I had a feeling Hermione felt the same way._

"_Thank you daddy," She smiled and kissed my cheek, "I love you."_

_Taken aback, all I could do was hug her tightly, and reply, "I love you too sweetheart."_

"Jason!" Charlie looked down at me acting like my scolding mother, "How many times do I have to tell you to listen, we're here, lets go!" I got out of the car and played the angry teenager.

"But Moooom! I don't wanna go!" Charlie glared at me and had I really been her child, I would've been scared for my backside. "Fine!" I threw in what I assumed to be a teenager-ly sigh with the exclamation. I was sent by my 'mother' to get three trolleys so that we could get onto platform 9¾. We loaded our things onto the trolleys and began our journey towards platforms 9 and 10.

Along the way we saw a bustling family of people, all with red hair, and all with suitcases (or as the Brits call them Trunks) with a crest on them. The crest was a coat of arms, the shield was yellow, with a big black H in the middle, and it was divided into four sections, each of which had an animal. The top left animal was a lion, the top right a raven, the bottom left was a badger, and the bottom right a snake. We followed the red haired family, because that was the same crest that was on the letters that we'd received.

Soon we were standing between two pillars, one with two signs on it the other just a plain pillar. I watched the red headed family, one after the other either run or walk at the wall, and just pass straight through it. To be completely honest I was astounded, how had they managed to create such a solid illusion. We followed the red haired family and went through the wall, going through was the weirdest sensation, almost like passing through a wall of water. On the other side was a train labeled the 'Hogwarts Express.'

I smiled, gave the kids both a look and we walked towards the men loading the baggage onto the train. He explained that we were to take our trunks with us and put them on the racks above the seats. So we did, I kissed Charlie on the cheek, like a son would his mother, and gave her a quick hug before walking with Harry and Hermione towards the train.


	15. Chapter 15

There was a grating sound when I pushed the door to the compartment. I took the kid's trunks (might as well start speaking like a Brit) and put them on the luggage rack. Then I turned back and sat down across from Harry and Hermione. They were already engaged in a conversation on what they might learn this year at Hogwarts, and if it would be anything like what they already knew. Hating when people interrupted my own conversations, I stayed out of theirs.

After about thirty minutes of the kids talking there was a knock on the door of our compartment. Then before I could react it opened, and a chubby boy with black hair, and a slight stutter entered.

"Have any of you seen a toad?"

"No," we all answered in unison.

"But we could help you look if you want…" Hermione offered.

Smiling widely, I stood up and stuck out my hand, "Jason Black, pleased to meet you…"

"Neville…Neville Longbottom, you would really help me?" he asked after shaking my hand.

"Sure," Harry and Hermione stood up and walked out of the compartment, asking Neville where he had already checked. I grabbed the wand I'd made, and was about to follow them out when a boy with golden blonde hair approached me.

"I heard you say your name was Black, I guess that makes us family," The boy stuck out his hand, "Malfoy, Draco Malfoy, What's with the accent anyway?"

"Pleasure," I said without shaking his hand, "I'm from across the pond," at his confused look I added "you know, America?" He looked confused again.

"I didn't know the Black family had spread that far," he smirked, acting as though it was some kind of insult. _I don't have time for this._

"Look kid, could you please move? I'm trying to help a boy called Neville find his toad."

"You mean this toad," the boy said with a sneer, "Longbottom wouldn't know where his head was if it wasn't attached to his body,"

I felt my anger rising, this kid was proving me right. He was a bully, and I hated bullies. "Give me the toad," I said.

"Make me, Black!" He said the name with venom in his voice, and a gleam that looked like hate in his eye.

"Do you know how old I am?"

"Do you know how many spells I know?" he responded, as menacingly as an eleven year old could.

"Fine…" Something must've scared him because his already pale face paled even more seconds after my acceptance of his challenge. He looked to his right, then his left, and as he made those motions, two bigger boys, not older, just thicker took their places right next to him.

What little color he had came back to his face, and he grinned in triumph. "You think that you could take on three-"

"Eleven year old, no talent, pieces of crap like yourselves?" My voice came out harsh, and to be honest, I'd never expected to say something like that to an eleven year old. "Yeah! I think I could, do you think you could take me on?"

"What's the difference between you and us, from what I've heard you got denied to Hogwarts for four years!? I always knew you Blacks were stupid."

"Me? I have talent, and a little bit of experience. You, you guys are just thugs, bullies, you have no talent, you have no experience, and already before you've even gotten to school you're picking on kids who are a little different." I hadn't noticed but Harry, Hermione and Neville were back and had just listened to everything I'd said. "Now either give me the toad, or I get expelled before we even get to school,"

Malfoy leered and threw the toad at the open window; I dove for it and caught it, smiling as I landed with a thud. I stood up and the toad jumped out of my hands and out into the hallway. Neville picked the toad up and dropped it into his pocket. The Malfoy boy and his cronies were gone, and Harry, Hermione and Neville had taken seats in the compartment.

"Wow, no one has ever stood up for me before," Neville said, almost on the verge of tears.

I sat down next to him and looked at him, "Sometimes, everybody needs a hero," I replied nonchalantly, "and those kids are bad news, I'd like the chance to see how well he can do when we can actually duel."

"Da- Jace! You said that magic was for the betterment of mankind," Hermione said.

"Yes I did Hermione, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't fight bad people with it. After all, its people like him who make this world the way it is."

"Well, I think it's really nice of you to stand up for me like that." Neville looked me in the eye and shook my hand happily.

"No problem Neville, that's what friends are for."

"Friends? You mean it?" he asked.

"Yeah, we can all be friends," I answered with what I assumed was a twinkle in my eye.

"Yeah Neville! We can help each other with classes when school starts too!" Hermione added ecstatically.

"And we can play games at school together," Harry chimed in. "What kind of games do you like Neville?"

"I like wizard's chess, but I'm not very good," he said with a frown, "and I love Quidditch, but again," he looked a little crestfallen, "I'm not very good."

"Well with people to practice with you can get better!" Harry looked eager to get to the school so he could spend time around some boys his own age. I smiled and looked out the window. So far, this trip had been exciting, and we were only about two hours in.

After what seemed like forever, the train began to slow, and people were getting into their school robes, so we all did the same. We grabbed our bags and started to leave, when an older kid most likely between 15 and 18 stopped us and told us that our bags would be taken to our dormitories once we'd been sorted.

Neville looked nervous about that, "My gran said that the way that you get sorted into the different houses, is they use a hat, and the hat reads your thoughts and everything you've done in your past, and then it predicts your future based on personality, and sorts you into the right house."

Harry and Hermione both gave me a look of fright; I was beginning to feel more than a little nervous myself. Then I saw him. The same giant, hairy guy who'd attacked me in my own house. He was calling for all first years to follow him, so we all walked in his general direction. He stopped me and said "Firs' years."

"S-sorry sir," I replied putting a tremble in my voice. "Th-this is my first year here…"

"Ah! You're the exchange boy then. It's a pleasure," He reached out his large hand for a shake and I grabbed it, his grip was surprisingly gentle for his size and when he looked at the ones following me, he smiled, "Arry, how are ya?" It was like he had no memory of attacking my house.

"Good sir, but if you don't mind me asking, who are you?" Harry had a slight hint of fear in his voice.

"I'm 'agrid, keeper a' keys and grounds here at Hogwarts," said the gentle giant. _He had to've had his mind tampered with. _I thought before peering at him with my sight. I was correct, he had a small hole in his head under the sight, a hole that with time would heal by the looks of it, but there was also something else, he was small. Smaller than me, but taller than the children. _I wonder what that's about. _I thought shutting off the sight before looking toward the children.

Hagrid, the grounds keeper turned and walked towards a fleet of small boats, and ushered us towards them. We all got into them, even the giant, Hagrid. I was astounded that the boat was even able to float under him, he was nearly too big for the thing, but hey, magic.

Anyway, we floated for a while before seeing a beautiful sight. There was an old style castle, lights shining through it's every window, and to make the sight even more beautiful was the fact that it was reflected in the still waters below. I grinned, I'd never seen something like this before and it made me feel almost at home. I looked to the children around me; all of them had the same look on their faces, on of pure amazement.

When we got off of the boats we were lead into the castle through a huge set of oaken front doors, and into a large entrance hall, there was a staircase leading upwards, and a small door which presumably lead down into the dungeons. At another set of large doors stood a witch with a green almost shiny robe on, her hat matched her robe, and her eyes were a weird orange-ish, grey which gave me the heebie jeebies. She looked into each and every one of our faces, pausing on mine, Harry's and Hermione's.

Then she spoke, loud and clear, "My name is professor McGonagall, and you are all first years and as such have not yet been sorted into houses, therefore, before you are allowed into the great hall, I am to tell you what will be happening in the next hour or so. You will walk in and wait, I will call each of you up individually, and you will sit on the stool, I will place a hat, a very old and treasured hat, upon your head the hat will sort you into a house based on where it believes you will fit in best. After it sorts you, I will take the hat off of your head, and you will sit at the table with your house.

"The houses are as follows, Gryffindor, Ravenclaw, Hufflepuff, and Slytherin-"

"TREVOR!" Neville ran forward and grabbed the toad that was hopping towards professor McGonagall's feet.

She gave Neville a stern look, Malfoy laughed, and McGonagall spoke once more, "Now I will see if they are ready for you."

"So it's true, Harry Potter has come to Hogwarts," There were mutterings all around us when Malfoy's voice rang out in the scantly lit entrance hall. He walked over towards us and looked down at Neville before continuing to walk to Harry. "You should stick with me; I'll show you how to make the right, friends." His emphasis on the word right, and the glare he fixed me and Hermione with made my blood boil. I took a small step forward, Hermione grabbed my hand.

"I think I can sort out the right friends for myself, thanks," I was proud of Harry, and at the same time about to hurt Malfoy. I could only wonder how a kid at age 11 was already a bigot, but who knows.

When McGonagall came back out she announced that we were to follow her and the sorting was underway. After a couple names, I realized they were going in alphabetical order by last name, and I was a B. _Shit…_ I thought. _I am so screwed…_

"JASON BLACK!" McGonagall called, and there were mutterings around the room. I walked up head held high, and sat. She put the hat on my head and immediately I felt a mind probing my own. I tried to push it out, but it just spoke to me.

_Stop, I know who you are Harry Blackstone Copperfield Dresden, I know why you are here. _My eyes bulged, he knew my full name, and could pronounce it perfectly, I was under his control. _Don't worry, I am sworn to secrecy about all things that I learn whilst in the mind of another. I wish to offer you help, you see, Albus has foolishly kept me in his office for the past 11 years, and I've seen him do a great many things, which he says are for the greater good. I however believe him to be a manipulative, horrid old man, with a certain liking for melding the minds of those around him._

_I will give you this advice, you are more advanced than everyone in this room right now, other than the teachers here, so I advise that you hold back some of your strength, it would be smart to keep your children close, Dumbledore will try again. _

_I will not sort you into a house; you will be one of the three in Hogwarts history to become an Unsortable. You will have access to areas of the castle that haven't been used or seen in the last thousand years. And since you came up here before Mr. Potter and Miss Granger, I can at your request allow them to become Unsortable as well._

I began to wonder how often other people had days like these, _No, I want them sorted, they need to make friends, and I can watch over them from wherever I'm needed._ I answered the hat.

_I will tell the people. _So it did, the hat began to sing, a song of change, one that told a story of a boy, gifted with magic, and the knowledge of a magical school, but who had been over looked by Hogwarts. It sang for a while, until the headmaster, Albus, asked him what house I was to be in.

"This boy, with so many wonderful traits, cannot, even with my skill, be sorted into any of the houses; therefore, I name him, the first Unsortable to set foot inside this castle in over a thousand years!" There was more murmuring, and some weird noises. I looked around, and realized that there was a new area in the Great Hall, an area specially made for me. I went and sat in the area all by my lonesome as Harry and Hermione were sorted into Ravenclaw.

I clapped for them and cheered along with the Ravenclaws. Then the headmaster gave a speech on the rules of the castle, and how due to an abnormally long sorting, dinner, would be taken in the common rooms.

I was about to follow the Ravenclaws when I was pulled aside by Albus, "My name is professor Dumbledore, and I would like you to know that while you may be an Unsortable, this is still MY school, and you aren't above the rules."

I grinned, "I know who you are, and I just want you to know, that you aren't above the rules either, old man," and with that I followed my adopted children to the Ravenclaw common room.


	16. Chapter 16

A/N: This is a short chapter, but at least I'm back.

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><p>"Daddy?" Hermione's voice rang out in the darkness of my secluded room.<p>

"Yes, sweetheart?" I asked, my eyes still closed. It was about two weeks after the sorting, and in that time much had happened, I'd seen the best and worst of the people in this magical world, and I'd seen a lot of things that made me wary of staying here.

"Can I sleep in here tonight?"

I rolled over to look at her, she stood in the doorway to my room, looking a little lost. She was wearing the new pajamas that Charlie had sent during our first week. She had sent a lot surprisingly, enough to decorate our rooms, and enough clothes for a couple weeks, which to be honest was nice, since I was Unsortable the dress code did not apply to me, however I had my own. I was to wear robes at all times and was not allowed to affiliate with any other house.

So, I wore my duster and normal clothes, she had also sent my staff, and blasting rod. Which at the moment were leaning in the corner right next to my bed. The kids had also gotten a bunch of clothes that matched house colors, Blue and Bronze, well a roughly bronze color at least.

"Sweetheart…" Mt voice was laced with concern, "What's wrong?"

She sniffled and spoke, "I feel lonely in Ravenclaw tower, before, back home in Chicago, we were all so close, you were right there in the next room, and Harry was on the couch a couple feet away, but with everyone having separate rooms, it's…" She looked down at her feet, looking almost ashamed.

"It's what honey?" I prompted knowingly.

"It's just hard to be secluded all of a sudden." She had a few tears in her eyes, and I clenched my fists. That wasn't the only reason I knew about what had been happening to her and Harry for the past couple weeks. But I just smiled and held up my arm, lifting the sheet I had over me. She climbed under my arm and snuggled up to me. I grinned and shut my eyes and drifted to sleep, feeling like a real father.

_I awoke in Chicago feeling less than rested, the air smelled of brimstone, and there was a dead body hanging from the rafters of the building I was in. I knew the victim and I felt tears jump to my eyes when I saw her face. Charlene… I felt angry, almost as if I already knew her killer. I felt a hand grab my shoulder, and then I saw Murphy's face. She looked sad, almost as if she could feel my pain, and she gazed deeply into my eyes._

_ "Dresden…Dresden…Mr. Dresden…"_

"Mr. Dresden?"

My eyes shot open and my arms tightened protectively around Hermione. "Harry?"

"Yeah, it's me"

I loosened my arms realizing I was back in Hogwarts, "What is it?" I asked calming my rapidly beating heart, and blinking the tears from my eyes.

"Is there something wrong Mr. Dresden?" He asked.

"Just a bad dream, what's up Harry?"

"I was just wondering…"

"Yeah?"

"Do you mind if I stay in here tonight, I had a bad dream,"

"Sure, climb on up, do you mind if I ask what your dream was about?"

"I don't wanna talk about it Mr. Dresden…"

"That's fine, I don't mind." He thanked me and crawled into the bed with Hermione and me.

"Mr. Dresden?"

"Yeah?"

"Thanks for being there for us, Hermione loves you like a dad, and I'm glad you saved her." Harry preceded to fall sigh and fall asleep, just as Hermione had.

"You're welcome kid," I smiled with pride. And fell back to sleep forgetting the nightmare I'd had only moments before.


	17. AN Sorry hold tight

**A/N: **Sorry to get your hopes up. Soon guys, soon.

Hey guys it has been forever. I haven't written since sometime last year. Between school, work, and now college, I haven't stopped to think, let alone get a little bit of time for myself. However, I am hoping to get back into the rhythm of writing and posting and creating. I recently had a talk with someone very close to my heart about this, about my life, my future and all the things I want to do but "don't have time to do," things like writing and reading are taking the back seat to everything I need to do. But that person helped me realize that "don't have time," and "I'm too tired," are just excuses. I haven't taken time for myself and my audience, and for that I am sorry. I am however looking forward to new things. I hope to finish Harry, Harry, Hermione one day and make all of my visions for the story into reality, but right now I am actually focused on something new, an idea that was inspired by another member of my diminishing social life. It will be called something along the lines of "The Nine Circles" or "Hell's Children" which is a fanfic for Dante's Inferno, mainly based on OC's and the book, with a little inspiration from the game. I'm not sure at the length, it might even be a one-shot, but only time will tell. To all of my dedicated followers and reviewers, you have not gone unnoticed. I am truly sorry, you deserve better from me, but as selfish as it sounds I deserve better from me. Until next time.

-BDWood


	18. Chapter 17

**A/N:** Welcome back. I am pleased to announce that I have returned from an extended work and school related hiatus. I have updated the story. I believe I made a mistake in the editing process and put in a first draft, especially upon finding a folder titled "Final Drafts". Chapters 14 and 15 are reworked into something I believe fixes that big change. Which I added last minute. I am also pleased to announce that while, I am currently in the process of writing a new fic based in the "Dante's Inferno" universe, I am also very excited to post the newest chapter of Harry, Harry, Hermione. Enjoy, and as always I do not own any of the characters in neither the Dresden Files nor the Harry Potter universe.

I woke up, and dragged myself out of the bed, hoping that the smell currently wafting into my room was bacon and coffee and not some sort of fire. I pulled one of my AC/DC shirts out of my suitcase and tugged it over my head. I looked in the mirror and had a mini heart attack when I looked different from normal. _Damn it. Fifteen year old, remember? _I shook my head and walked into the small common room for the Unsortables.

I'd moved here after the first couple nights so as not to arouse suspicion. Upon moving in I was told to choose a password, which I chose to be "Open Sesame", silently congratulating myself for being so clever. After about a day or two of living here we got some mail from back home, my favorite stuff being my black canvas duster, and staff. _Who knew that a little bit of familiarity would put my mind at ease._

I yanked myself out of my thoughts and looked toward the smell. I was correct, Harry and Hermione were sitting at the table eating eggs, bacon, and toast, their glasses filled with some orange liquid I assumed was OJ. I poured myself a cup of coffee which was sitting on the table in a pot. After finishing the cup and half of my breakfast, I looked at the children and asked, "Where'd you get the juice?"

"Just ask for juice, Jace," Harry said with a grin. _Jace? _My mouth formed an O and I looked at him questioningly.

"I just say, 'can I have some juice?' then?" At the end of that sentence a cup appeared in front of me, I looked inside and there it was, OJ. _Wow…_ I took a drink and cringed. "This isn't orange juice!" I pushed it away.

"No, it's pumpkin juice," Hermione said in an 'I know what it is and you don't' tone.

"Why didn't you tell me that!?" I asked standing up and moving towards her.

She giggled and ran behind Harry. "You know I can just get both of you for this right?!" They both grinned and ran away. I gave chase and soon had both of them over a shoulder, spinning in a circle and tickling their side, they were squealing with laughter, I was laughing, even the moving paintings on the walls were laughing. But like all fun, it had to be rained on by school. So I put them down gave them a hug and whispered, "You know you guys can come to me about anything… right?"

"Yes daddy," Hermione said quietly.

"Yeah," Harry hugged me harder when Hermione left the hallway, "Dresden?"

"Yeah son?"

"Thank you… For helping me… For helping Hermione. For giving me family." I smiled, my emotions building up behind my stony exterior.

"I love you both, forever. I promise."

"Promise you won't die…" when he asked my that my heart fell, he had already lost that piece of his innocence, like me he only had those he **chose** as family.

"I promise. I'm here to stay." I squeezed him tighter and smiled at him, "You can't get rid of me that easily."

"Come on guys! We can't be late for class!" Hermione's voice was whiny and she was obviously very excited to be here, learning magic.

Harry gave me a grin and ran after Hermione, "Yeah, yeah, we're coming sweetie," I called back jogging to catch up. I had to fish the piece of paper holding my schedule out of my pocket.

"You can't be serious Jace!" Hermione said, my heart hardened we were in public now, no 'daddy' from here until the end of the day, "How do you not know your schedule yet? I've got mine memorized already, don't you Harry?" She looked at him and he grinned sheepishly as he hastily hid a piece of paper from her view. "Ugh, really? I expected more from you two!" She said, giving us a look I'D seen quite a bit, but this had to be Harry's first time. It was the look of disbelief that you didn't try harder or as hard as her.

I smiled, "Harry has his memorized, I just made sure to slip the paper into his pocket to keep you both on track," I gave Harry a small wink when she turned her back to us. _Little know it all. _I thought, with all the love and adoration that I could muster, mind you. But she was just that. A know it all. He gave me the thumbs up, behind her back as they walked towards their first class. I smiled, genuinely, these moments were the only ones that could do that anymore.

I looked down at the paper in my hand. There were about 8 classes on there each about an hour long. _Charms, Transfiguration, Defense Against the Dark Arts, Herbology, Potions, and the three I picked out, Ancient Runes, Care of Magical Creatures and Muggle Studies. _There was a note at the bottom of the page in what I thought was rather girly handwriting, _Please report to the quidditch pitch immediately following breakfast for Flying lessons Mr. Black. _I wondered who wrote it, or when, but it had been there since the beginning of my stay and I walked towards the pitch. I still didn't understand quidditch, or what it was, but to me, flying sounded rather fun. So looking at the bright side I walked towards the quidditch pitch.

Upon my arrival there stood a woman, with pixie cut hair, a button nose, and very strangely colored eyes. I was the only one in the stadium and upon entering I spun to look around it. At each end there were three hoops, in the middle was what looked like a soccer pitch, and all around us the stands were sitting along a wall that was probably 60-70 feet high. I had my back away from the woman for a couple seconds as I took it all in.

"Mr. Black! If you would please come over here and listen!" She barked at me. I sprinted and stopped a couple feet away standing completely rigid.

"Good! My name is Madame Hooch, I will be teaching you how to fly a broom. First things first, put your right hand over the broom and say up." I looked at her not believing she had just said that. "Do it!" She barked.

I stuck out my right hand over the broom at my side, I looked back at her, self consciously, "Up." I commanded. There was a woosh and something smacked into my palm. I closed my hand and looked down. The broom, which looked like it belonged in the 1700's was firmly grasped in my hand.

"Good! Now mount the broom, and give a nice big push of the ground, hover for a moment, then point the tip downward to descend." I did as she asked. When I pushed off the ground my stomach gave a lurch, I was weightless… sort of. Then my feet touched the ground again.

"Good. Well done. Now we will take it a little faster." She mounted her broom and flew up and was hovering above the center of the pitch. "Come along then Mr. Black, lets see if you got your famous family talent!" I heard her voice clearly, even from so far away. _What family do I belong to? _I asked before following her lead and chasing after her.

For the first minute or so I felt shaky and fear gripped me, fear of falling. But soon I was flying around the pitch chasing after the instructor, willing the broom to go faster. It was exhilarating. She landed, and called me down to do the same, I did. "Well Mr. Black, it seems blood does hold talent," She said before holding her hand out for the broom. I held it out and she took it and began to walk away, "Madame… Hooch?"

She turned and looked at me, "Yes Mr. Black?"

"Thank you. I've never done that." I said it sincerely, meaning every word.

"It would seem you should try out for quidditch…" She quieted, "well… I'll be off." She walked away, and I wondered why she hadn't finished that sentence.

After a few hours I was sitting in a dank, dark room with a lot of 15 year olds, listening to a man with greasy black hair and a hook nose talk about owls. Which I later found out was O.W.L.s which was the Ordinary Wizarding Level exams. He spent most of his time explaining that for most of us this was our last year in potions class as he explained that we had to get an O on our test to get into what he called the newt level class. I assumed that based on O.W.L it was probably N.E.W.T as well.

Upon asking what it meant, I was regarded with curiosity by the students around me, and the man Professor Snape, walked towards me, "Mr. Black I presume?"

"Yes sir," I answered.

"Do they not have tests in America?" He asked sharply, I was shocked at how he spoke to me.

"We do sir."

"Well the N.E.W.T is a test. The acronym stands for, Nastily Exhausting Wizarding Test-"

"Well that's just grand!" I replied sarcastically, "Nastily Exhausting! It sounds like us Yanks are far behind you sir!" I continued.

"Ten points from…" He stopped. "Detention!" I groaned. _You and your Damn mouth Harry…_ "To be served tonight, make sure you show up!" He said menacingly, his nose obnoxiously close to my own, _Already in trouble, might as well seal the deal…_ "How 'bout a mint?" I asked quietly, so that only he could hear.

"What did you say Black?"

"I said… How about a mint." I raised my voice this time, getting giggles and gasps.

"Why you little…" He stopped looked at the desk and said, "Fine, how about this, you brew me an O.W.L level potion and we will call it even."

"I'm always down for a wager. Let's make it more interesting, I win, no homework for a week, You win, I'll do detention for a month." I said lying out my ass, my false sense of security heavily shielded by bravado.

"Deal." He said, shaking my hand. _Shit…_

"You will brew a strengthening solution, you have tomorrow's class to complete it." He said these last words as the bell rang. _Shit._

"Harry, Hermione, how were your classes today?" Hermione looked at Harry and pouted, "What?"

"Harry got to miss one!" She said.

"What? Why?"

"Well we were at flying lessons with-"

"Madame Hooch" I finished

"Yeah. And Neville got hurt-"

"How bad? Is he alright?" I asked concern for their new friend, who had been placed in Gryffindor.

"He's alright, it was just a broken wrist. Anyway, remember when Neville showed us his Rememberall? Well he dropped it when he got hurt. Malfoy picked it up and he was talking mean about Neville. He flew off with it and I chased him-"

"Madame Hooch told him he could get expelled if he was caught, Daddy!" Hermione jumped in. "I thought he was, because Professor Flitwick came down and took him away. I didn't see him for two more periods." I could hear the anger in her voice, but also the relief.

"But I didn't get expelled. Malfoy threw the Rememberall, and I chased it and caught it. Then Professor Flitwick came and took me to an older student and told him I was to be their Seeker. The older student taught me about Quidditch, and told me I had to catch a small golden ball."

"Well did you say yes?!" I asked, excited at the fact that he was getting into extracurriculars.

"Of course he didn't!" Hermione answered.

"Yes" Harry said. "I said yes." I pulled him into a hug.

"Good for you Harry!"

"But Harry what about studying?" Hermione whined.

"Shush sweetheart. Harry can do both. But I will say that it will be hard Harry. Do you understand?"

"Yes Mr. Dresden. I understand." I smiled, and ruffled his hair.

"Good, now tell me what you learned today guys."


End file.
